Subpopulations of bovine WC1(+) gammadelta T cells rather than CD4(+)CD25(high) Foxp3(+) T cells act as immune regulatory cells ex vivo.
Regulatory T cells (Treg) are regarded essential components for maintenance of immune homeostasis. Especially CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells are considered to be important regulators of immune reactivity. In humans and rodents these natural Treg are characterized by their anergic nature, defined as a non-proliferative state, suppressive function and expression of Foxp3. In this study the potential functional role of flowcytometry-sorted bovine white blood cell populations, including CD4(+)CD25(high) T cells and gammadelta T cell subpopulations, as distinct ex vivo regulatory cells was assessed in co-culture suppression assays. Our findings revealed that despite the existence of a distinct bovine CD4(+)CD25(high) T cell population, which showed Foxp3 transcription/expression, natural regulatory activity did not reside in this cell population. In bovine co-culture suppression assays these cells were neither anergic nor suppressive. Subsequently, the following cell populations were tested functionally for regulatory activity: CD4(+)CD25(low) T cells, WC1(+), WC1.1(+) and WC1.2(+) gammadelta T cells, NK cells, CD8(+) T cells and CD14(+) monocytes. Only the WC1.1(+) and WC1.2(+) gammadelta T cells and CD14(+) monocytes proved to act as regulatory cells in cattle, which was supported by the fact that these regulatory cells showed IL-10 transcription/expression. In conclusion, our data provide first evidence that cattle CD4(+)CD25(high)Foxp3(+) and CD4(+)CD25(low) T cells do not function as Treg ex vivo. The bovine Treg function appears to reside in the gammadelta T cell population, more precisely in the WC1.1(+) and the WC1.2(+) subpopulation, major populations present in blood of cattle in contrast to non-ruminant species.
Hoek
Aad
A
Division of Immunology, Department of Infectious Diseases and Immunology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Utrecht University, Yalelaan 1, 3584 CL Utrecht, The Netherlands. A.Hoek@uu.nl
Rutten
Victor P M G
VP
Kool
Jolanda
J
Arkesteijn
Ger J A
GJ
Bouwstra
Ruth J
RJ
Van Rhijn
Ildiko
I
Koets
Ad P
AP
D000818:Animals; D015704:CD4 Antigens / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle / Q000276:immunology*; D005260:Female; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000276:immunology; D006801:Humans; D016753:Interleukin-10 / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016176:T-Lymphocyte Subsets / Q000276:immunology* / Q000378:metabolism; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism
D015704:CD4 Antigens; C086500:DMBT1 protein, Bos taurus; C418974:FOXP3 protein, human; D051858:Forkhead Transcription Factors; D053645:Interleukin-2 Receptor alpha Subunit; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta; D016753:Interleukin-10